Canvas question

[MinUph]

A conversation in another unrelated forum brings me to as you canvas guys and gals a question. In the attached image the bimini top will not fold to the rear only forward due to the rear bracket. What is a good way to fix this. The top can't be reversed as the back is different than the front.

http://s1347.photobucket.com/user/minichillosupholstery/media/ab0_zps50d59c6b.jpg.html

[Grebo]

If the rear is to the right of the picture ? You want to fold it down flat on the back. ? & there are straps holding it forward.
Removable pins in the support arms.

Suzi

[Mike]

Ya remove the strap hook to the front and the rear support may have a pin pull them and lay it to the rear.
Normallt i make the main bow on the rear this one has the main bow to the front but i do t think that will cause a problemhere laying it to the back.
On my canal passi g under the bridge  at highttide most pontoon lay there tops down. But to be east they just pull the rear leg pins a d if they have straps on the front just lay the top forward till there under eliminating unhookinh the straps. Now if trailering tes lay it down to the rear or tie it down forward.

[Mike]

After rereadi g your post  did you mean even laying to the rear is not posible even pulling the rear support legs.  If so then its the main bow os forward and the frame need to be reversed. Easy mistake  by somine to turn it a ound not knowing

[MinUph]

Yes pulling the support legs is a given. The brackets that are on the rail are the problem. The rear of the pontoon is to the right in the picture and these rear support brackets bind when laying down towards the rear. I though if he would raise them up on the main support they would clear the rail and lay flat. Probably would need to be cut.

[Eric]

I'm not there. However, pull screws or pins on main bow attachment. Flip whole assembly 180 degrees, now it will fold back. I also believe that you will be able to pull bimini off, spin it 180 degrees and put back on to frame work.
Eric

[Mike]

Eric i was thinkkng the same thing but then tye rear support legs. Would be on the front
It may just be needi g to soide the bottom jaw off make the rear boaw the main mounted to the boat with the jaw slid onto it to occomidate the front bow

[Eric]

Mike, I was thinking leave rear support legs where they are. Straps would then attach to that point after flip, and the strap attachment point could now be adjusted if needed to accommodate rear support legs.
Could try your solution also.
Eric

[Mike]

I cant tell if there are the swuare jaws on all 4 points on my iphone screen.
And it the boat were here im sure we could solve it hands on.

[MinUph]

YEa it would be much easier if it were hands on but I feel bad for this guy. Trying to help him out some way.
  There is also a concern of snaps being on the rear of the canvas that attach to this frame. If it were all turned around he would need to install some studs but thats not a big deal.

[Mike]

after looking on my laptop I think eric is right take off the canvas hopfully it has zippered pockets . reverse the frame around 180 degrees. there is 4 of the jaw fittings.  easy fix ive seen this before

I had a dealer marina max once call me they had a used trawler with a bimini in the bridge , they were trying to install the enclosure panels.  the owner had reversed the whole top frame and canvas front to back abd all the zippered looked the right length but they were all backward trying to zip them they called me out thinking they needed a new enclosure but stupid me I said turn th e top around and everything will fit :( free advice and a wayste of my time 

[JuneC]

What I did on our own boat a few years ago was to add a set of short legs to the rear bow using split jaw slides (so I wouldn't have to disassemble the frame to get them on) and quick release deck hinges with canvas clips to hold the legs to the main bow while not in use.  So there were 2 sets of legs on the aft bow - one set long (as pictured) and one short - maybe 8 inches.  The short legs held the bimini over the canvas cover so as to not destroy it, but not high enough for us to have to pay an "over-height fee" at the in-out storage.  Worked a treat.

June

[Mike]

have you finished the Baja june?

[Stitches]

Ya that whole assembly is backwards... You'll have to flip the frame around and slide the support poles that are on the rear off and slide them on to the main bow once it's on the rear. Confusing lol. Basically only the main frame needs to spin 180 deg. But the front straps and the rear support poles stay in the same spot on the boat.  Usually the front would be just a tad lower than the rear to help prevent a parachute effect while the boat is underway

[JuneC]

have you finished the Baja june?

Not exactly...  We gutted it about 2 weeks ago.  When they placed the center handgrip down the forward deck they failed to use any silicone or sealer.  We were wondering why the cabin was always dank/mildewed.  So, after stripping out a soaking wet headliner, we discovered the problem and like most boat projects it snowballed.  Stay tuned for the end result - new headliner/hull-liner/carpet/cabinets/etc...

June